Dawn of the Decline: Page Ten

David Peralty

7 years ago

Worf was trying everything he could think of, but his brain wasn’t being very rational. All he knew was energy attacks were useless, and that many other technological beings have been beaten before by Klingon combat prowess.

Blood dripped from his forehead, and sweat stung in his eyes. Little damage was being done, but Worf was unleashing every ounce of his strength onto the behemoth that was in his ship. When first informed of the issues aboard the Enterprise, Worf had felt excited, and wrongfully thought that a combat opportunity would be the ideal way to spend his vacation.

He wished he could take back all the previous notions he had about how his day was going to go. As the phaser rifle started to buckle and fall apart under the strain of being used as a club, Worf noticed in his peripheral vision a hand coming to grab him.

Attempting to swat it away from him did little to stop its advance, and once again, Worf was caught. A slight twist of the frame underneath him, and Worf found himself on the floor, lying on the materials used to make up the walls and ceiling, his back cried out in agony.

Before he could move to get up and find another tactic to use, he was under foot. The weight of the machine pressed down on his chest, and Worf could feel his ribcage giving way. Just as the room started dimming and fading to black, a flash of light enveloped him.

Blinking rapidly, Worf found himself on the bridge of the Enterprise. Data was there, undamaged, and everyone looked around stunned.

Captain Picard’s ready room doors opened, and out strolled Q.

“So, did we learn anything about arrogance? What about that small glimpse into humanities future? I know your howling dog there seemed to enjoy himself up to the last moment.”

Worf snarled as everyone affixed their gaze on Q. While Captain Picard had been in a near constant state of stunned silence for most of the confrontation, he finally shook himself from his almost comatose state, “Humanities future?”

The words hung in the air. Everyone, including Picard, had assumed that Q had sent another vile race from beyond their known region to terrorize them.

“And you thought your little race had such a beautiful, utopian future, didn’t you?” Q smiled as he walked over to stand by Data. “Imagine, humanity as a warrior race, fighting creatures unlike you’ve ever seen. It is in your nature to forever be savages. Remember that as you continue to stick your nose up at other races…”

With another snap of his fingers, Q was gone. And in a nearly unified thought, the Enterprise crew all hoped it would be the last time they would see him.